It’s been five years. I really thought I would be over it by now, but I’m not. If you’ve lost someone close to you, you get it.

After my dad passed, a woman in our church said words I’ll never forget. “It hurts so bad, Baby Girl, because we weren’t meant for this. Death isn’t natural. And God’s crying, too.”

And God’s crying, too. Those words comforted me in ways I can’t really express. Because it’s one thing to be in pain, to feel loss, to feel like it’s not fair. But somehow knowing that I serve a God who gets it and grieves with me? That’s some powerful stuff.

I’m not just saying that because I think it’s true. I’m saying it because the bible tells me so.

“When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her, also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was trouble and said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept.” John 11:33 – 35

If you’re familiar with the story you know that Jesus raised the man, Lazarus, from the dead so the weeping turned into rejoicing but as crazy as it sounds, that’s not the most miraculous part of the story for me. I’ve heard it all my life and always, every time, the part I can’t get away from is that Jesus wept. Not Jesus brushed a single tear away from his cheek, not Jesus looked a little sad, but he WEPT. One commentary I read said another way to interpret that Greek word is “He burst into tears.”

And He was God.

So as I work my way through another Father’s Day without my earthly Dad, I’ll remember and take great comfort in the fact that my Heavenly Dad gets it and is right there with me.

Until we meet again, Daddy. Love you. Thank you for teaching me to love running, to love my family, and most importantly, to love Jesus.

Jen